I remember some of us got hired to be a background band in movie. Make smart decisions and trust your instincts on when it’s time to take a risk. Focused on the future, MEAA is a thought leader and driver of change. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? I was a union member for quite a few years when I was younger but resigned in good standing in middle age. Others see it as just a waste of money, with little immediate benefit in return. A BRILLIANT CONTACTS BOOK – This is worth its weight in gold! The first step to joining a union is to locate your individual union and contact it for union facts and guidance on organizing Get in touch with a union organizer. The cleanup and restoration was fully covered. Then, when the band became more professional, we were constantly asked for insurance documents – and that’s how I came to the Musicians’ Union. Separate coverage for our recording studio for gear and liability. Meanwhile I’ve worked in a union environment on 3 separate occasions (provincial government x2, municipal government), and left all 3 times. They have a benevolent fund which exists to help people in times of crisis. He is part of a union for a very large national company, and loves it. In October 2015 the Hamilton Musicians Guild elected a new executive for a two-year term beginning in January 2016. There’s a Musician’s Union. The union is like anything. was being rented by Bannister's in Hamilton as a house system, and when the building next door had a fire, my gear suffered some smoke and water damage. Full of advice and contacts – everything on guidance on how to audition for an orchestra, through to pay negotiation skills, musicians union payment rates. Well, cancelling was not cheap either! A recent study showed that wages declined in newly unionized firms -- but most research still says that you're better off in one than not. Over 5.5 million workers are part of a union. ie, they stand up for one another, and are not to be taken for granted.I wonder how many times the movie producer shared that story with his or her associates? "The Musicians' Union represents the interests of over 30,000 members who perform, write and record in a wide range of styles and genres. Nevada is an open shop state, meaning you don't have to join a union to have a job. I have very little choice as to whether I should join the union. I remember some of us got hired to be a background band in movie. It was part of an ear health day – my hearing was tested, and I had some special ear plugs custom-made to knock out damaging noise that could worsen my tinnitus. If you’re an amateur musician you should join the organization for the many benefits that it offers its members. Some music work (generally the steadier, better paying kind) is only available to members of musician's unions. The Nashville Musicians Association represents over 2400 of Music City’s finest musicians, including the Nashville Symphony, studio players, road musicians, teachers, singer/songwriters, bandleaders, arrangers, and producers. What do you think? Advertise yourself. I've had the opportunity to meet and dialogue with the president Larry Fuedo. A good chunk of the union is made up of symphony players who need to go through the union to get paid and get their benefits. Anti-labor folks can talk all they like about … Unpaid Fee Recovery. Thanks so much for your involvement. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); They make changes. Unions sometimes attempt to impose limitations upon the right of a member to resign. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE – Up to £5million! var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-29921485-2']); We’ve taken advice twice when trying to recover money for work done. But there are hotel/casinos that do not. if (typeof adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds === 'undefined') { This is a list of music organizations in the United States.It does not include symphony orchestras or other performance groups, or educational and research institutions unless they have significant programs outside the fields of education, research or performance. })(); BF and I often talk about unions and how effective they are. - GB. I play in a band with vice president Brent Malseed and Brent's wife Janna is also on the executive. Union facilities are safer than non-union facilities. Plus, you have liability coverage, too. The Musicians Union was set up to protect the right of musicians. var pluginUrl = However, many of the casino hotels do have agreements with the Culinary Union, hence limit employment to membership. It ended up costing them between a third and a half of the original fee just to fire us! Membership has suffered greatly, and the drive and motivation to recoup losses and rebuild has been difficult. Another time, my lighting console was stolen out of a club in North Bay. Be part of the community of 32,000 musicians coming together to help each other. The Musicians' Union is a community of 32,000 musicians working to protect our members’ rights and campaign for a fairer music industry. The financial costs of union membership include dues and, in many cases, fees for joining. Often structured around a talk first, and then mingling. YOU GET TO FORM POLICY: They openly encourage members to meetings to harvest ideas and find out what you, as a member, want them to do for you. If you are a professional musician then you should definitely become a member. EDUCATIONAL CHANGES – They work with teachers. Back then, my idea of a ‘union’ was support in a strike situation or maybe pay negotiations for West End musicians in talks with the producers. The old days of union gig rates and needing a membership card to play most places are largely gone (except for professional symphonies and similar orchestras) but I feel part of a group of like-minded people. And pupils to ensure music is high on the curriculum. They had to pay us for the costume fitting among other things. As mentioned before, your time will come. When we gig we have maybe $15,000 of gear with us so theft is a concern. TRAINING COURSES – often free! I attended my first union meeting last spring, where the executive comprised one-third of the membership in attendance at the meeting. }. As part of the Celtic Clan series of blogs, we like to cover lots topics.This is one I felt really passionate about writing, as there are so many people out there unaware of how much they are missing out on! adsbygoogle.requestNonPersonalizedAds = 1; Benefits of Belonging to a Union Union workers typically have better wages than non-union employees in comparable jobs. Hopefully, you will never have cause to seek support from your union because you feel that you are being treated unfairly by … One benefit is that you will receive a web listing for yourself as a local musician on the GoPro web database. ... You should consider seeking the advice of a music attorney or business advisor before entering into a direct or source license. There is also a whole range of advice and guidance … It was either going to be the next evening or the one after that. Once you have completed a UCU application you need to contact the Musicians' Union to complete any neces… It didn’t seem relevant to me – I was doing okay, working regularly and didn’t see the need. If you're a professional musician, and your gear is stolen from your vehicle, good luck getting your homeowner's policy to cover it. Perhaps you’re a music teacher who needs updating on legislation or teaching techniques? While I live (and gig) in the greater Hamilton area, I am a member of the Ottawa-Gatineau local, my old location.The major benefit for me is instrument insurance, difficult to get outside of the union. We are working to protect our members’ rights and campaign for a fairer music industry. I believe I may have something to contribute as a writer as well. Should you join a union? If your amp falls on someone's head, you're covered for that, too! There are no real drawbacks to joining a union. Do the benefits of being part of the musicians' local outweigh the costs? They work for you. But things have really been starting to turn around of late. Laura Cole, 5 time Hamilton Music Award nominee, Winners of Turn It On Songwriter's Contest. Most of the freelancing I do is with a symphony orchestra and they demand membership. If you’re wondering ‘should I join the Musicians’ Union?’ – then the answer is a resounding yes. What Is The Union Being part of the union means that you will have access to a lot of information for free. Joining a union gives members good wages and benefits, as well as some protection against arbitrary firing, so union positions are attractive to many workers. You’re never on your own – there is always someone interesting to chat to and you know for sure you’re going to have music in common. In my opinion, the union is a great opportunity to serve the musicians' community, if only through providing a means of associating, networking with others who are in the same business and facing the same challenges. If you’re wondering ‘should I join the Musicians’ Union?’ – then the answer is a resounding yes. All rights reserved. They may pay for you to re-train in another skill if you can’t work as a musician any longer. adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []; They negotiate and set standard minimum fees and terms of service for musicians and live bands. Joining ASCAP as a writer is a great first step in your music career. Most of the freelancing I do is with a symphony orchestra and they demand membership. You can’t argue with that. Well – the MU run regular regional workshops that deal with these subjects and much more. While joining a union does provide legal protection and other benefits, the question of mandatory membership has been settled by two Supreme Court rulings that specifically address the limits of union membership. // Supply ads personalization default for EEA readers _gaq.push(['_require', 'inpage_linkid', pluginUrl]); Membership should not be limited since it seems to defeat the purpose of encouraging all musicians to commit to the union on the principles that union jobs are better than nonunion jobs and the union is stronger with a higher total percentage of musicians participating. The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is the largest organization in the world dedicated to representing the interests of professional musicians. Some people think of the MU as mainly representing "traditional" musicians, but our members include many big name dance acts, too. Professional musicians from every genre voiced both tangible concerns (instrument insurance, pension, death benefit) and intangible considerations when asked about their … Many Musicians Are Unaware — or Unable to Join A wave of workers-first rhetoric is sweeping through pop. Once, my full Martin p.a. Many long time members feel ripped off, disgusted and even enraged. But then as I have listened to them I've learned that the Hamilton musician's union local is recovering from a terrible situation where a past executive member has been charged [and convicted - ed] with embezzlement. There are many reasons to join us, but none is more important than the simple concept of strength in numbers. Should I join a musician's union? It’s funded from legacies and donations and has changed thousands of lives since it began. Musicians' unions can also provide instrument insurance and medical insurance. 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